Wake Forest Baptist's Transition To EHR Causes Financial Hit

Yet another provider is facing unanticipated struggles with electronic health record system adoption. Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center is blaming additional costs and lost revenue on the 2012 implementation of its Epic EHR, according to an article in the Winston-Salem Journal.

Wake Forest Baptist, in its second quarter financial report submitted to bond agencies, reported spending roughly $13.3 million directly on its EHR system, plus another $8 million on "other Epic-related expenses"; according to the Journal, the hospital claims it suffered "business-cycle disruption that had greater than anticipated impact on volumes and productivity." It experienced $26.6 million in lost margins due to interim volume disruptions during both its initial go-live and post go-live phases...